
50 AD to 70 AD, Psalm 50: Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
This generation is that of the 50s and 60s.
- The seizure [1] of the procurator Gessius Florus (64-66) on the treasure of the temple marks the transition from subversive actions of isolated groups to a general open revolt. Flavius Josephus gives us the date: 16 Artemisis (April / May) 66. Florus had to retreat to Caesarea and left Jerusalem only a Roman cohort. The zealots seized Massada and Jerusalem, the captain of the Temple, Eleazar, whose father was Anania the high priest, ordered the cessation of the daily sacrifice due to Caesar. This initiative constituted the decisive act of the rebellion and the official rupture of the hierosolymitan cultic community of with the Roman authority.
But the Romans led by Vespasian then Titus then employed more adequate means. It was then three legions who tried to reconquer Judea accompanied by the twelfth legion that had been defeated by the Jews.
- In the fear [2] and despondency of the people, the presumption and power of those factious (those who had taken power in Jerusalem) went to such an extent that they dared to even have the great priesthood. They rejected the families who had been accustomed to possess it successively, and established in this high dignity persons without name and without birth, in order to make them accomplices of their crimes; people unworthy of so great a honor, who could not refuse to obey those who had brought them up there.
- And the Lord [3] will scatter you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations to where the Lord will lead you.
- On that day [4], David ordained to give thanks to the Lord by the hand of Asaph and his brethren.
- And [5] King Hezekiah and the officer ordered the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer, and they praised until they were joyful, and they bowed and prostrated themselves.
(extract of the psalm 50 associated to this generation, verses 1 to 15 )
- A song of Asaph; God, God the Lord, spoke and called to the earth, from the rising of the sun until its setting.
- The message of the Ten Commandments and the Torah that will now be known to nations: « from the rising sun »: the east and hence Islam, « until the setting sun »: the West and hence Christianity.
- From Zion, the finery of beauty, God appeared.
- Our God shall come and not be silent; fire shall devour before Him, and around Him it storms furiously.
- Here is announced the destruction of the second temple
- He shall call to the heavens above and to the earth to avenge His people.
- Gather to Me My devoted ones, who made a covenant with Me over a sacrifice.
- Here reference is made to the sin of the golden calf that has been so sanctioned and for which now the people of Israel are forgiven through the destruction of the second temple, which constitutes the sacrifice made by Moses.
- And the heavens will tell His righteousness, for He is a God Who judges forever.
- Hearken, My people, and I will speak, Israel, and I will admonish you; God, even your God am I.
- I will not reprove you concerning your sacrifices, neither are your burnt offerings before Me constantly.
- I will not take from your household a bull, from your pens any goats.
- For all the beasts of the forest are Mine, the behemoth of the thousand mountains.
- I know all the fowl of the mountains, and the creeping things of the field are with Me.
- If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine.
- Will I eat the flesh of bulls or do I drink the blood of he-goats?
- Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High;
- And call to Me on a day of distress; I will rescue you and you will honor Me.
- This part announces the end of the sacrificial cult that accompanies the destruction of the second temple. This should not be considered a punishment, for these sacrifices were not really a divine need but had been ordered to keep the people of Israel from idol worship. Today, the people of Israel are mature enough to worship their God without offering them sacrifices. Thus during all the exile, the people of Israel will be able directly to address their God by acts of grace without having to make offerings. The people of Israel are thus armed to survive exile.
- He (Origen) [6] at least clearly saw and cleared the relationship between ebionism on the one hand to Judaism and on the other hand to the early Church. Responding to the pagan polemicist, who blames the Christians from Judaism for changing their name and their way of life, he declares: « Celsus does not know that those Jews who believe in Jesus have not abandoned the law of their fathers; they live in accordance with it and their name comes from the poverty of this law. For the poor is called among the Jews « ebion » and those of the Jews who recognize Jesus as the Christ are called « Ebionéens ». And he adds: « Peter himself seems to have long observed the Jewish customs according to the law of Moses, as he had not learned from Jesus to rise from the literal law to the spiritual law. » Then, according to the account of the Acts, a precise statement of the disputes between Palestinians and Hellenists in the first Christian community. This is the exact historical perspective, unknown to most ancient heresiologists.
Paul wants everyone to join Christianity. Thus the Jews’ resistance to Paul’s preaching draws his anger. Because of the resistance of the Jews to Christianity, Paul naturally turns to this reservoir of pagans already sensitized to Monotheism. Instead of merely allowing them to apply only part of the law, he prefers to declare it obsolete.
(extract of the psalm 50 associated to this generation, verses 16 to 19 )
- But to the wicked man God said, « For what reason do you recount My statutes, and bring up My covenant on Your mouth?
- For you hated discipline and threw My words behind you.
- If you saw a thief, you agreed [to be] with him, and with adulterers is your portion.
- You let loose your mouth for evil, and you accustomed your tongue to deceit.
(extract of the psalm 50 associated to this generation, verses 20 and 21 )
- You sit and talk against your brother; you slander your mother’s son.
- You did these and I remained silent; you thought that I would be like you. I will contend with you and set up before your eyes.
(extract of the psalm 50 associated to this generation, verses 22 and 23 )
- Understand this now, you who forget God, lest I tear [you] to pieces, and there will be no one to save [you].
- He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.
[1] « History of the Jews in Antiquity » by Peter Schäfer, French translation by Pascale Schulte, Chapter « The First Jewish War ». (French: « Histoire des Juifs dans l’Antiquité », Chapitre « La première guerre Juive », p 145 ).
[2] Josephus Flavius / Jewish Wars / Book Four / Chapter 11. (French: Flavius Josèphe/Guerre des Juifs/Livre quatrième/Chapitre 11 ).
[3] Devarim – Deuteronomy – Chapter 4, verse 27
[4] Divrei Hayamim I – I Chronicles – Chapter 16, verse 7
[5] Divrei Hayamim II – II Chronicles – Chapter 29, verse 30
[6] VERUS ISRAEL by Marcel Simon, « Contacts and Syncretisms / Destinies of Judeo-Christianity ». (French: « VERUS ISRAËL », « Contacts et Syncrétismes/Destinées du Judéo-Christianisme », page 286).